Totally Baked: Hemp Protein Granola Bars

First off, no. You won’t get high. I promise that no matter how many Hemp Protein Granola Bars you scarf down, the only thing you’ll be feeling is really, really full (and happy, of course).

Unbeknownst to many people, hemp is one of the oldest and most versatile crops in the world, and has been cultivated for centuries. The question on everyone’s mind is undoubtedly, what is the difference between edible hemp and smoke-able hemp? Industrial hemp, the kind grown for seeds, oils, fibers, etc, is known as Cannabis Sativa L. Cannabis cultivated for medicinal or recreational use, on the other hand, is known as Cannabis Indica (more commonly referred to as “marijuana”). This variety is bred specifically for its flowers, and THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol – the psychoactive substance that produces the “high”).Hemp grown industrially is heavily regulated (by Health Canada) and is required to have less than a 0.03% THC content. This is different from marijuana, which often has 7 to 20% (or more) THC present. Comparing hemp to marijuana is really like comparing a Brussels sprout to a rutabaga – they may belong to the same family, but they’re completely different!

High on HealthHemp is available in many edible forms these days, all derived from the hulled seeds, and often referred to as “hemp hearts”. You can of course eat them in this state, which I like the best, but dried and pulverized seeds are sold as protein powder. You can even find hemp seed butter (so delicious), and hemp oil. No matter how you gobble it up, hemp is a vegan, gluten-free, sugar-free, trans fat-free, cholesterol free, and THC-free (I promise!) whole food that delivers an incredible amount of nutrition! Hemp is usually very safe even for those unable to tolerate nuts, gluten, lactose, and sugar, so we can all get totally baked!

Protein – Hemp protein is totally remarkable, as it is complete (meaning it contains all 20 amino acids, including the 9 essential ones), something not so easy to find in plant-based protein, making it an ideal choice for vegetarians and vegans. The protein in hemp is also highly digestible and easily absorbed by the body. Especially perfect for post-workout recovery, hemp is a good source of branch-chained amino acids, needed for repair and growth of lean body tissue.

Essential Fatty Acids – Hemp provides the essential fatty acids (EFAs) omega-3 and omega-6 in an ideal 3:1 ratio. Hemp is also one of the few sources of the hard-to-get gamma linolenic acid (GLA), another important source of omega-6 EFAs. All these essential fats are found abundantly in hemp and are great sources of energy. Essential fats found in hemp may reduce food cravings and inflammation and improve circulation.

Fiber – Hemp is a good source of healthy carbohydrates and dietary fiber, both soluble and insoluble. In one serving of hemp protein powder (2 tablespoons or 30 grams) you’ll be receiving 8 g of fiber! That’s almost one-third of the total daily requirement of 30 g (but feel free to get more, of course!). The fiber in hemp stabilizes blood sugar, and ensures regularity, won’t cause bloating, gas or bad breath (unlike other types of protein supplements).

Vitamins and Minerals – Hemp is delivers a solid dose of vitamins A, B1, B3, B5, D, and E. Hemp is also a good source of iron, containing 2 to 3 mg. Hemp protein provides 48 percent of the recommended daily value of magnesium at 100 to 200 mg per serving. It even boasts trace minerals, and chlorophyll (which you will all remember from Green Dream Chlorella Cream, right?)

Earth LoverIn addition to being unbelievably healthy, hemp is also a healthy choice for the planet. Hemp is a sustainable crop, takes a low toll on the soil, can be grown in a variety of environments the world over, and can be replanted time and time again. Hemp fibers are among the strongest and most durable of any plant, making them perfect for clothing and paper products (did you know the US Constitution was written on hemp paper? Totally true.) Look for clothes made from hemp fiber instead of cotton, which requires substantially less (if any) pesticides during cultivation.

Who’s got the munchies?Hemp has a gourmet nutty flavour that blends easily into smoothies and baked goods. I love putting the hulled seeds into my morning power shake for extra Omega fats and protein. It lends an amazing creaminess and richness and gives me energy for hours and hours. Baking with the protein powder is also a breeze, as you can pretty much substitute it for flour in small amounts (try ¼ cup at a time). This will increase the protein, fiber, and healthy fats in all of your cakes, cookies and bars and no one will even notice! In fact, this recipe started off as just a granola bar, but because I had some hemp protein powder in my pantry…voila! An even better version of this already awesome treat was born.

In lieu of my travels back to Canada for summer holidays (I am actually on the plane as I write this), I actually whipped up these protein bars to get me through the long trip across the Atlantic. Airport and plane food be damned, this tasty little snack is most certainly keeping my fork out of the freaky mini-meal in front of me (how DO they manage to make fruit salad taste like a science experiment every single time?). In fact, I will be so bold as to say that these are the must-have snack for summer – delicious, filling, packed with whole foods. Best of all, Hemp Protein Granola Bars are perfect for road trips, picnics in the park, days at the beach, forest hikes, or lazing in hammock with a frosty glass of lemonade. They even freeze beautifully, so make a double batch, cut them up and pop in the freezer for smart snacking all summer long – just take them out half and hour before munching! So easy.

1. Preheat oven to 350F.2. In a small bowl, mix the chia seeds and water together. Set aside.3. In a large bowl combine the dry ingredients.4. In a food processor or blender, mix bananas, oil, vanilla, and maple syrup (you can also just mash everything together with a fork). Add chia gel and pulse to mix. Pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients and stir until well combined. 5. Spread the batter evenly into a baking pan (mine was 9″ x 11″), and smooth out the top with the back of a spatula. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until edges are golden brown. Let cool completely, store in airtight container and keep in the refrigerator for longer shelf life. You can also freeze these – take one out half an hour before you want a perfect snack!

I am a huge hemp lover and I am not afraid to admit it! Once you try these granola bars, I know you’ll be just as hooked as I am…c’mon…everybody’s doing it.

Just a quick note: I love your writing, but I think you missed something in your editing. You write, “In LIEU OF my travels back to Canada for summer holidays…” I think you meant something along the lines of “In anticipation of… ” “In lieu of” means to replace or substitute, which does not make sense here. Cheers.

Hi Sarah (and anyone else that wants to chime in),
I am not a big baker so I was hoping you could help me. I am trying to cut down on the fat and sugar in this recipe and wanted to make some substitutions and/or omissions, but I don’t want to ruin the outcome.

First, I really don’t want to use the dates because they have such a high sugar content, but almost all other dried fruits are high in sugar too. Can I just leave them out? I was thinking of substituting diced apples. However, I was going to substitute unsweetened applesauce for the oil so I wasn’t sure if that would be a good idea to have diced apples and applesauce.

My other idea was to add extra bananas instead of the diced apples. Please let me know your specific recommendation for omitting or substituting the dates. I don’t want to ruin the bars, but I really want to leave out the dates if possible.
I get so nervous when it comes to new recipes, and I am on a student’s budget so I really want them to be good after buying all the ingredients. Thanks so much for the great recipe and website. I really appreciate your expertise.
Also, since I am omitting the oil, should I grease the glass baking pan with coconut oil?

Hi! Love your web-site, as I write this from my home in Lynden, Ontario on a rather
blustery day. Winter begins . . . for a California girl I am still adjusting to Ontario winters. I am allergic to bananas and wondering what you would suggest as a sutstitute in your Hemp Granola Bar recipe? Would applesauce work?
Your web-site is an amazaing and inspiring resource. Thank you! Debi

I don’t like the taste of hemp powder. My husband bought a giant bag so I was looking around for a tasteful way to dispense of it. These bars are so good. I will make them again and again! And I love it that the sugars are all natural and low glycemic. Thank you for just the right recipe.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for sharing all these wonderful recipies! My daughter who was a such fussy eater in the past has changed tremendously thanks to you! She loves these bars plus anything I make from your blog!

I’m making these for the second time now . . . they’re delicious! I find that just 1 tablespoon of maple syrup is enough since the dried dates are so sweet. Thank you for this awesome, portable energy-booster!

WOW! Just made these… what a treat!
I just wanted to say THANK YOU for the amazingness and beauty you bring to this planet. I love your blog, and feel more creative and inspired in the kitchen ever since I started reading it. So, thank you. I found this recipe through your recipe index, and saw it was posted over 3 years ago. I thought it was very magical that three years later people out there (me! and I am sure many others) are still cooking these and being inspired by your contribution from three years ago. After that realization I needed to write to you, to thank you. So thank you, for bringing chia seeds, black beans in my baked goods and bee pollen in my smoothies to my life!
So, thank you thank you thank you!

I’ve just made these for the first time and they are wonderful! I have a feeling they will become a staple in my household. I live in a country town and wasn’t able to buy protein powder so I just used the hearts instead. I could get the powder online but I prefer to support our tiny local health food shop. I used raisins instead of the dates, which meant no chopping! Thanks for another simple, nutritious recipe Sarah.

These just came out of the oven and they are great! I have been looking for a portable breakfast option and this is it. Unfortunately, I could not get hemp protein powder, so after much grocery store aisle deliberation, settled on BRM oat flour. I substituted the entire amount with it. They seem to not have suffered in texture, just the awesome protein amount. I will make more effort to find the hemp powder next time. Thanks for another fab recipe!

I FINALLY made these amazing creations this week after having the printed copy of the recipe on my fridge for about 6 months. I subbed dried figs and prunes for the dates and kept everything else the same. Mine are greener than yours and have a slightly bitter aftertaste (but not bad). I wonder if it’s because I blended the chia seeds a bit longer than just a pulse? Anyway, they are delish either way, and so great to actually know what is in one’s granola bar!

Hi! Love your recipes – huge fan of the food and education I get about the ingredients. I put hemp hearts in my smoothies and just learned I am pregnant. Is hemp in my smoothies safe for the little one?

I made these and I’m so addicted!! They are REAL food – not like store-bought bars that might as well be dessert.

I recommend chopping the dates up super-tiny and making sure they’re evenly distributed, other-wise you’ll get some bars that are just too sweet. I might even leave out the dates in my next batch (my third batch in two weeks, yikes!) Thanks Sarah!

Hello! This is my first visit to your website and I was excited. I am a vegetarian (almost vegan) and have been for almost 35 yrs. I also like to eat healthy, altho I struggle to keep my weight in check, as my husband and I love sweets and to snack. We are on the weight watchers program again. Anyway, I am wondering if you have a shopping list for healthy staples (live in a small town-a lot of the ingredients I see here are not available to me), I need to get started so to speak . Any advice? I would love to cook all natural and health consciencely, but as I said it is kind of new to me. Thanks, Carol

I made these and subbed some roasted butternut squash for the banana, molasses for the maple syrup, hemp hearts for the powder, and apricots instead of dates. They are quite soft but most delicious! Can’t wait to make more!

I just made these and added spirlina and cacao nibs – they don’t look as pretty from the green – but they are tasty still x
My god they are good thank you so much
I want to make these in dehydrator
Do you know if I can follow this recipe exactly and still dehydrate instead of oven?
Appreciate your blog – I have just come across and enjoyed watching you one change short video x

Just wanted to let you know how good these are! You know that already of course, Sarah. I make a double batch every month for the family and they do freeze a treat.
Hope you are doing really well after having your son. It’ll be a lovely Christmas for you and your family.
Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a happy and healthy 2014 xx

Wow. I just made these yesterday and they are awesome. I didn’t have any hemp protein powder or mustard seeds but I just used my normal protein powder and flax seeds instead of the mustard seeds. I have to say that they are absolutely amazing, and my husband loves them too. I was wondering out loud where I kept the recipe and I got a bit of a yell about “make sure you keep that recipe, they’re delicious!!”. A big win!!

SarahB I found you website at work (happy accident) and wow! Thanks for sharing all your knowledge on food that’s good for you. I made the Hemp Protein Granola Bars last night and they turned out great! Half the pan is almost gone, guess that means I’ll have to make more. Keep it up!

I want to make these bars, but I could not source hemp seed powder, but got hemp seeds instead, the s cooking instructions on the ack, it say to soak them for 24hours and then simmer for 30 mins, can anyone advise me on this, how much water do I soak them in etc.

yum yum.. I just made these to take along on a flight from Canada to the US : ) they are AMAZEBALLS!!! As a hemp lover who has been meaning forever to make something like this, I am hooked!!! I will be sure to pass along this post and your site on my blog. Thanks so much! Rebecca.

Hi Sarah,
I was wondering if (beyond basic normal adherence to moderation in general) I need to be especially careful about the amount of coconut oil I use. I am going to give it a whirl when cooking with high heat, as well as in some of my self-care practices and I am wondering if I need to be concerned about taking in too much (ingestion, skin, hair, etc.)? Thanks so much.

Hi Sarah,
I couldn’t find hemp hearts at my local health food store, but instead could only buy the whole seed and I am wondering what kind of processing they need to be edible: coffee grinder, sprouting, cooking? The directions on the back of the bag say that they should be used in doughs for breads/cakes or sprinkled on salads. Does that mean as is? Thanks!

I just made these this morning and they turned out awesome! Thanks so much! I used raisins and a few dried blueberries as I ran out of dates. They held together really nice and are slightly chewy. I’m going to make more and freeze them! YUM!!

I am very enjoyed for this blog. I feel strongly about it and love learning more on this topic. If possible, as you gain expertise, would you mind updating your blog with more information? It is extremely helpful for mesanta rosa dentist

Hi there Sarah!Thanks so much for the great recipe. I was wondering if you ever worked out the nutrition facts on it? When I calculated everything for a pan of 15 bars, I came out with, per bar:Calories: 209.3Calories from fat: 108.8Total Fat: 12.24gSaturated Fat: 2.9gSodium: 3.4mgCarbs: 22.4gFiber: 5.2gSugar: 9.5gProtein 4.8g

Someone had mentioned that each bar had 11g of protein. Is she just making bigger bars than I am, or using a different powder? Any ideas on how to amp the protein?

When you calculated the nutrition info, how big would you say the bars (15 per batch) were in comparison to say a 60 oz Quest bar? I am trying to decide if I want to make them. If the bars are super small, I would be afraid to make them. I am single and would be the only one eating them so I have to be careful. I have a good appetite so it’s sometimes better to just buy one or two bars at a time. It can be dangerous to have a whole pan sitting around 🙂

These sound like a perfect summer snack! I can’t wait to make them.One question, do you think substituting honey for the maple syrup would be a mistake? I tend to get headaches after having maple syrup. It might be worth the headache to try these though 😉Thanks for sharing!

I’ve tried making a homemade granola bar once and failed miserably. I couldn’t wait to try your recipe when I saw it. These are truly delicious. They totally satisfy my after lunch sweet craving that I tend to get every day! I didn’t have all of the ingredients so I used the following substitutions which worked out well: coconut oil, agave, and peanuts (for about 1/4 of the walnuts). I think I’ll try adding cacao powder next time. Thanks for the lovely recipe!

I made these bars today, and they are delicious, but they are a crumbly mess! Is this typical for the bars? If not, I guess I might have done something wrong. Also, I was wondering how many servings are intended by the recipe?

Wow, Sarah. These are delicious. I just made a batch last night and YUM!! I am eating them for breakfast, but it definitely feels like a dessert. And so healthy. LOVE ‘EM!! Thanks for another winning recipe.

Yes, if you don’t like an ingredient in the recipe, improvise! And as far as the heartburn goes, I can only think that would occur if she ate something else with the bars, or she has a history of heartburn…not sure about that one!

My mom and I each made these (on opposite sides of the country) I definitely was in “like” of these but to be honest I don’t seem to love cinnamony type treats. Next time I think I might drop some dark chocolate and dried cherries into the mix. I think that your recipe is a great base that can be definitely tweaked to provide different flavours and goodies for every batch. My mom really liked them too but she said they gave her heatburn? I don’t know much about heartburn as I never get it.. any idea what in the recipe might cause that?

I looked up your recipe so many times and yesterday i finally decided to try these awesome looking hemp bars. i failed. but its not your fault.i am a bad girl. i didnt follow your measurements (it has never been one of my strenghts) but i decided to post a link from the original recipe to your site. if you want to find out what happened to the granola bars -> http://www.homeiswherethekitchenis.com/?p=519 🙂i promise i will try them again and let you know how they turned out!i already KNOW that i will love them but i need one more try…

The chia seeds bottle says not for children under 18 or for breastfeeding women, and Im nursing and wanted to make these for my family (kids way under 18!). Do you suggest a replacement and/or know why the warning? The bars look so good!!

Sarah B, I’ve been looking for a treat to make my little baby boy (he’s got 5 teeth) and I think he’ll love this one. I’ll just make sure everything’s chopped up to a no-choke size… the things you gotta think about when you’re feeding a new life. And maybe soak the oats a bit first?

I’m visiting Copenhagen this weekend and was wondering if you could recommend any vegan/vegetarian restaurants. “Grönsaken” is already on my list, if you know of any more I’d love to hear about them. 🙂

I just made the bars, and to my surprise they were soft, not hard & crunchy. The taste is reminiscient of Banana Bread (yum) and worth making for all the protein (11 grams in 4 Tablespoons), and other nutrients. Here in the USA, I purchased a 2 pack of Nutiva brand Hemp Powder from Amazon.com for $17.82. Each pack holds 16oz or 454 grams each.The Nutiva container says it can be added to baked muffins, so apparently it can take the heat.

Hi this is my first comment on your fabulous blog. I really love it. The images are just awesome for a start. In fact this first pic is your best. And the recipes and info are inspirational, really. Since I have been reading all your old posts I haven’t eaten any crappy processed food. I remember your little mantra on chocolate and how u were once a chocoholic. Very helpful. I made your raw brownies for a dinner party with fresh cherries and everyone loved them. I made some with fresh blended mint leaves and they rocked. I love your take on eating for the season so as it’s winter in Sydney I just go to your archives, not that we can call it winter really but still too cold for me. Lovely stuff, thanks for inspiring a healthier life.

HAHA! That 1st image put a huge smile on my face… but then I read the first line and I was sad. Just kidding. These look marvelous on their own… don’t need any other substances to make these a joy to eat.

A tip on how to use unshelled hemp seeds for those wondering souls..: make a batch of raw chocolate and stir a handful of the seeds in. Crunchy Rawr choco bar:)

I wish you a wonderful trip and loads of fun with family and friends:) Ps. did you get to see the Raw Saffron & Honey Risotto on http://www.earthsprout.org that you wanted the recipe on? Curious on what you think of it once you´ve tried<3

AMAZING! My name is Rebecca and I’m a hemp-a-holic. 🙂 For those wondering, I went the dehydrator route and they came out great – if you like crunchy granola bars that is. They’re not chewy, but very crisp. Excellent flavor combo and perfect for summer travel! Bravo! Sarah, I’ve heard that when you heat hemp it loses all of its nutrients and can be toxic, what are your thoughts on this ?Merci! Rebecca

As for the unshelled hemp seeds, I’ve never worked with them before. I have seen them many times, but they look rather coarse and not very conducive to eating! I’ll let you know if I have any brain waves!

Granola bars must be in the air in Scandanavia at the moment. I also made a post with some bars today, minus the hemp and plus some goji berries. The perfect snack!I was also wondering, I bought some hemp seeds a few months ago. The kind with shells and they just don’t taste that good… I’ve tried crushing them before adding them to my porridge but I still don’t like the texture. Any advice?

Caitlin – The texture of these is AMAZING! The edges are a little crispy, but the insides are chewy and soft – almost like a a dense cake or brownie…I want one right now.

Shannon – I like Manitoba Harvest hemp products. If I am overseas, I just make sure that the product is raw and oragnic.

Kelli – you can of course dehydrate these! I think they would be awesome 🙂 They hold together extremely well, almost to the point that you don’t even need to bake them at all, but try the dehydrator route and let me know how they turn out.

Some of you have been asking about using hemp hearts instead of the protein powder – this should work okay, but they are not going to absorb liquid the way that the powder does, so you may need to increase the amount of oats? Also, there is far more concentrated protein in the powder, so be aware that you will be receiving less protein if you use just the seeds.

Oh, I just can’t wait to try these! Yummy. Quick question for you Sarah, do you think that these would dehydrate well? I am more into that than baking in the oven. Thank you for the wonderful recipe to try. Now, I need a napkin to wipe the drool 🙂

Oh Sarah, these look absolutely divine. I tried to make something like this a few weeks ago, but couldn’t get the bars to stick together. Great tip to use bananas! I hadn’t even thought of that. Thanks so much for another healthful and wholesome post, My New Roots is constantly inspiring my own path to cook for wellness and happiness. You’re the best.

It breaks my heart that the USA won’t realize the potential of hemp as a viable product. There’s a lot more to this green plant than ‘drugs’, and if they’re realize it, it would help a lot of people out in so many ways. Hemp is such a useful substance, all around, that it doesn’t deserve to be pigeonholed as a drug plant.

I have been using hemp as one of my main protein sources for awhile now & love it! These bars look amazing; I’m about to check to see if I have everything on hand to make them now. 🙂p.s. what nail polish are you wearing? 🙂 it’s so cute!

Got all the ingredients in my kitchen, but must wait for bananas to ripen! Thank you, Sarah. 🙂 I hope you’re enjoying your holiday immensely. I’ll be in Montreal and Toronto to visit family and friends in Autumn. Too bad we weren’t there at the same time!

I always love your posts! I can’t wait to make these. We are always camping/hiking/traveling and looking for healthy snacks to bring. Plus, all your posts are so informative. I seriously learn so much here. You are awesome.

I really wish Australia would finally recognise hemp as health food. It is impossible to find hemp seeds here and it’s officially recognised as ‘animal food’ (I KNOW!) Ridiculous. This country can be so backwards sometimes… I LOVE these bars, they sound totally addictive (or maybe that’s not the right word to use… ;-)) Great recipe and I can’t wait to try it, whenever I can get hold of some hemp seeds!

Bob’s Red Mill has a Hemp Protein Powder. I actually haven’t loved it for smoothies, but think it will be amazing in these nutritious hippie bars:) Sarah, thank you for helping me figure out what to do with my well-stocked pantry. I’m officially enamored with your site and recipes!